Prakash was
one of the 32 adivasi kids, the first batch, who came to stay and learn at the
Adharshila Learning Centre in 1998. I still remember him in his green shirt and
knickers, sucking his thumb. Dark, short with bright eyes.
His flair
for things mechanical came to the fore when we were going on a trip and found
that the zip of our handbag was broken. Promptly some one in the crowd ( which
was a permanent feature in the verandah, more so on a special occasion of our
going) said, “ Prakash can do it”. And
in less than 10 minutes he did something and the zip was moving freely.
At age 10 or
11 he was one of the children who had their own individual programs and did not
follow the class routine. He went to class as and when he felt like. The main
thing in his program was origami. He was a master at it. He was able to follow
complex diagrammatic instructions of origami books and make things. We even
contacted some friends to keep him as apprentice but didn’t work out. Besides
learning origami he took a class in Adharshila on origami and also went to a
Public School in Sendhwa to teach origami. But still sucking his thumb. In
those days we tried to make individual learning programs for children, if they
too agreed.
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| Prakash testing and repairing a solar lantern at Adharshila |
He was a
regular candidate for the model making for the annual function exhibition for
parents. He was invariably in our house late nights helping in school chores,
binding books, repairing kerosene stoves with Jayashree, watching me at the
computer. He was the natural choice to help the guy who came to install the
first solar panels at Adharshila or the electricians and plumbers who came to
do fittings. Since then he became the local maintenance in charge. From this he
graduated to changing bulbs, fuse wires, checking faults when some room didn’t
have electricity which could be as often as every day. By the 10th
grade(which he did as a pvt. Candidate) he was the Chief Electrician at
Adharshila (of course there were limits to his fiddling).
By the time
he was in 10th class he had apprenticed at many places - Takli
Karyalaya, Dhule, Maharashtra to make a Solar Cooker. At Sampark, an NGO in
Jhabua, MP, to learn about solar fittings, at the workshop at IIIT, Hyderabad,
at a TV repair shop near his village. ... This is part of the philosophy of
Adharshila to place children, according to their interests, in places where
good work is happening. It is part of making children strong and as much a part
of the learning pedagogy.
We already
had a dream (like all foolish parents)
that how Prakash will be working to solve energy problems of the villages of
his area when he grows up. How he will learn while working with the best people
in the field of alternative energy. Accordingly we advised him to do ITI
diploma after 10th as he was not being able to cope with science and
math subjects. But this he refused due to the influence of a bright student,
the unofficial mentor of most students whose main mission was to put everybody
on the regular school track rather than follow one’s interests(which was the
crux of our advise).After 10th
he was at Adharshila through 12th and also in his first college year
helping out at Adharshila while studying in the town. By now he had become more
adventurous. His spirit of adventure overtook his skills and he was responsible
for ruining many chargers, solar lamps, speakers, torches and we were wary of
letting him handle such fancy stuff, alone. Learning, we consoled ourselves.
Hadn’t we heard stories of discovers and scientists breaking clocks, radios and
other home gadgets in their childhood ?
After school
we again tried to convince him to pursue his interests by interning for longer
periods at various organizations working in alternative energy, solar,
mechanical workshops etc. We had a long plan for him for the next 3 years of
non institutional learning through apprenticing. But now he wanted to
experience college life and got admitted to the useless degree college of
Sendhwa for a BA course which he hardly attended. (He didn’t take math in 12th
as he couldn’t cope with it). By now we had learnt many lessons and understood
what peer groups mean ! So we had become more resigned than disappointed.
Hey this was supposed to be an
inspirational success story ? Wait. We are almost there.Anyway last
year he went to Indore and got himself admitted to MA Hindi ! What ? Why ?
Because his bosom friend was also going to Indore for the same course.. But
thankfully in two months he realised that he was on a blind trail and when we
asked him if we should look for some work for him in the areas he was
interested in, he finally said yes. Vow. At last!!Now through
friend of friend of friend we got in contact with the person who runs THRIVE, a
company making solar lamps and like his name Prakash is now working with them
for the last two months. We are keeping our fingers crossed. Will he stay ?
more importantly will he go beyond soldering and master its science and
engineering aspects also ? Will he be able to or inclined to use his skills
more usefully than just for his livelihood ?
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| Prakash at THRIVE with Abhishek a 10th class student at Adharshila |
There are
other stories like this, and we hope they will keep happening but by no stretch
this story can be said to be the genral story of children at Adharshila. This
shows what we are striving for. This is what all schools should strive for.
This shows that it is possible without a regular school, school books, in
remote villages.. anywhere.
Its a very
long journey. For us, its hope and patience. His journey has just begun. Most
children don’t reach this point which may or may not come after 15years of
schooling. Can every child be like
Prakash ? Can we build institutions which take out what the child has in him?
